Thursday, December 20, 2012

Several thoughts and questions for Thursday.
As far as fiscal cliff talks are concerned why isn't the focus on spending cuts, improving efficiency in government and the end to duplicate agencies/programs which do little to improve the economy or help people?
As far as state budget talks are concerned why isn't the focus on spending cuts, improving efficiency in government and the end to duplicate agencies/programs which do little to improve the economy or help people?
How do higher taxes improve an economy? How do higher taxes increase private sector spending?
How are jobs created in the private sector if there are no plans to explain governmental regulations and laws such as Obamacare until after they go into effect? And who pays for them? Any why?
What is the plan to pay off the $16 trillion dollar National Debt?
What is the plan to pay for the approximately $80 trillion dollars in federal unfunded liabilities?

What is the plan to pay for the approximately $40 billion dollars in Connecticut's unfunded liabilities?
Why has the cost of a college education skyrocketed in the past twenty years? My salaries teaching part time on a college level adjusted for inflation are less than what I was making when I started in 1982.

If I lose my right to protect myself and my family through either legal weapons or other forms of protection, how do I defend myself from an armed attack?
Just some random thoughts for today.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

What no wasted spending in a $20 billion dollar budget? What is a $415 million dollar deficit? No nothing a little soda tax wouldn't do to create even more economic problems in the state.
I am still amazed that Connecticut does not waste any money in any way shape or form according to our leaders. I am also amazed that the only place to cut spending is in social welfare and education programs, two programs that we were told when we had the highest tax increase in our state's history would be saved and that needed to be saved. What a political lie.
What about the $115 million dollars of taxpayers monies that is being used for corporate welfare at its best to pay for a hedge fund to move from Westport to Stamford? Why is this money being spent especially since the CEO of this fund made a mere $3.9 billion dollars last year? Could it be political payback for the city that Malloy was Mayor in? What a waste of taxpayers monies!
What happened to the supposed $180 million dollars in supposed savings from the State Employee Suggestion Box? Apparently no suggestions were made.
Why are we paying $340,000 plus benefits for a head of the Community College System? What is his role and job if any? Aren't the individual Community Colleges run already by Presidents who make a great deal of money in the first place?
The list of waste of taxpayers monies is endless in Connecticut. And realistically there is no end in sight.
A state that is anti business, one of the highest tax rates in the country, excessive transportation costs and excessive workers compensation costs all lead to a road to economic ruin. Connecticut plus wasted spending does equal the ongoing fiscal nightmare of one party rule.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

What is Inflation? According to Investopedia http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/inflation it is "The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising, and, subsequently, purchasing power is falling. Central banks attempt to stop severe inflation, along with severe deflation, in an attempt to keep the excessive growth of prices to a minimum."

Inflation in my economic opinion is coming. Inflation in my economic opinion is here already. The massive fluctuations in energy prices, food prices, greater and higher taxes along with massive increases in health care costs are already contributing to inflation. Our government dislikes inflation since it increases its borrowing costs to finance its massive National Debt. If you are a saver right now you are not getting any interest on your savings. You as a saver are subsidizing our governments excessive spending and National Debt. The Federal Reserve's constant free money policy will ultimately lead to a valueless dollar along with inflation.

Thus as higher taxes are being desired by Democrats in Washington, higher inflation will be a direct result. And we will not see any meaningful cuts in spending or entitlements for the future. The National Debt will keep increasing. The fiscal cliff will be achieved along with inflation. Good luck with dealing with this new economic debacle on the near horizon.

Monday, December 10, 2012

It is a simple economic concept that has been proven time and time again. Higher taxes will equal higher spending. As the supposed fiscal cliff comes and goes, higher federal taxes will do little. They will do little in addressing the growing $16.5 trillion dollar National Debt. They will do little in balancing the federal budget (which now has so much off budget/off line item it can not even be counted). And they will do little in actually increasing tax revenue. In other words, Keynesian economic theory has failed in the past and will fail for the future.
What really is needed out of Washington from both parties is a plan to cut federal spending to the bare minimum not supposed cuts to occur over a ten year period nor an Administration and Senate that does not believe in either developing and or passing an actual budget. There is in my economic opinion a great deal of massive waste in spending on economically irrational programs and fraud which takes place in our Federal government which has help to bring our National Debt to unsustainable levels.
Stop campaigning and start to cut spending. The four past years have proven that the economic policies coming out of Washington have done little to stimulate the economy nor address the National Debt. Higher taxes will do little in 2013.

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Oops. Connecticut now needs to borrow to operate. We are the Greece of America, along other poorly run states like Illinois, California and New York.
Connecticut needs to borrow a mere $550 million to survive and pay bills. Sort of like Greece. With the second highest tax rates in the country.
I thought higher taxes were the answer to all of the Democrats problems at every level of government?

Never mind the highest tax increase in the state's history.
Never mind a $1.2 billion budget deficit in the coming fiscal year.
Never mind the amount corporate welfare being given in 2012.
Never mind the one party rule in Hartford which has caused this economic debacle.
Never mind the current administration can't even agree upon the amount of the actual shortfall or deficit depending on which rose colored glasses you are looking through.

Thus Connecticut continues to be broke. And the media believes that the Republicans need to either offer their solutions and or work with the Governor to resolve it. Why? One party rule and the absolute lack of respect the Malloy administration afforded the Republicans in prior budget negotiations during the largest tax increase in our state's history now comes back to bite them. It is a one party rule Democrat problem now. Unfortunately the one party rule can not solve it due to their economic illiteracy. Oops.

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

A shortfall. No a budget deficit. No $60 million. No $365 million. No more like $415 million. Pick a number, any number and welcome to our state's fiscal incompetency financed by the remaining taxpayers here in Connecticut.
The Governor could just continue to make up numbers and supposed cuts and the budget shortfall would just go away. By going away the Governor could continue to campaign for reelection and or a new Cabinet post in Washington. Why worry about the fiscal crisis? After all he inherited it from a Democratic Legislature! Oh the irony of fiscal incompetency.
Thus we as taxpayers have no idea what the actual budget deficit is, no idea as to how much higher taxes are going to go, no idea how many more businesses will leave the state and most importantly no idea as to what plan there ever is to address the fiscal crisis.
A shortfall. No a budget deficit. No $60 million. No $365 million. No more like $415 million. Pick a number, any number and accept the fiscal illiteracy that is Hartford and our state's one party rule government.

Monday, December 03, 2012

30 Days is a long time. I decided to take a break from Swick Speak to rest and recover from the election. Those who actually voted decided they wanted four more years at a national level of an economic recession, higher National Debt and higher taxes. Those who actually voted in Connecticut again embraced one party rule in Hartford, greater state short term and long term debt and much higher taxes in the future.
Thus in the future I will be voting with my feet and moving to a lower taxed state as I see little if any economic future in Connecticut due to this gross mismanagement of tax monies on a daily basis.

On a national level, the media is spinning its wheels about the Republicans not compromising with regards to the impending fiscal cliff coming on January 1, 2013 when much higher tax rates go into effect. I would like to remind my Democratic friends and the media, that the Democrats own the stagnant, recessionary economy in 2012. A proposal that calls for higher taxes and increased spending that is being embraced by the administration will do nothing other than prolong the recession making it an eight years recession (which I can see happening clearly).
If I was a Republican in Congress, I would make our proposal and if it was not accepted then let the fiscal cliff come. And then I would blame completely the Democrats in the House and Senate (they control the Senate and have not passed a budget in almost three years now) and blame the Obama Administration. Again they own the economy.
Yes the higher taxes will hurt and that is apparently what our current administration wants-they to hurt those who are productive in our economy and who work and pay taxes in our economy.
2013=Fiscal Cliff.
2013=Again a much higher National Debt
2013=The Democrats Own The Economy.

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About Me

I have been an educator for 35 years teaching over twenty courses in business and economics on a part time basis for several different colleges and universities here in Connecticut. I have a Bachelors of Science in Journalism and a Masters of Science in Economics. I also enjoy writing about and collecting football memorabilia. I am a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association and a shareholder of the Green Bay Packers. I also publish Gridiron Greats Magazine.